Thursday, May 8, 2008

The Chinese Film Industry

Well now that finals are over I have finally gotten some free time to prepare myself for the field study to China. From my class experience I presented on the Chinese Film Industry, and it's ever evolving balance between art and political purpose. Like it's western counterpart, Hollywood has seen the influence of independent film makers going out and making cheaper films than the bigger blockbusters. Giving more creditability to the artist, it only seems natural for the art to convey the message of it's creator to it's selected audience.

Having experienced the film schools of the States and am curious how differently the learning of the art can be in China? I'm looking forward to speaking to some of the Shanghai University students, and hopefully running into a fellow independent film-maker along the way. As the research gathered on the topic of Hollywood and Chinese Film combining in the ways of crossing over storylines and talented actors, there seems to be no end in possibilities.

Movies such as "The Departed" starring Leonardo DiCaprio & Matt Damon was actually a remake of a Chinese film titled "The Infernal Affair". But then on the flip side of that, Chinese actors Jackie Chan and Jet Li star for the first time in the english version of "Forbidden Kingdom", re-telling a classic Chinese fairytale. Speaking for an entertainment side, the more films one can make and sell in both markets is going to be much more profitable in the long run. With piracy of films so easy in the United States and China, it is no wonder that more money can be made off a tv-series based on a film, than multi-million dollar blockbuster release. I'm looking forward to getting to know the Chinese Film Industry, like any art form, the more you experience the art first hand the better you will become in the art yourself.